Tillering questions

[WhistlingBadger]

OK, here's where I am:
tiller1 by Whistling Badger, on Flickr

Looks to me like both inner limbs are stiff, especially the left, and the right-side mid limb needs to work more.  Am I on the right track? 

Also, I am planning on heat-treating this bow.  At what stage should I do that?

Any other pointers?  This is the stave Timbo sent me, and I'd really like to get a shooter out of it.

[Nasr]

1st the left limb seems to be bending more then right limb I would fix that first.
2nd the tiller looks good but the issue is you really need to bend it more to be able to start seeing it clearly. The limbs aren’t traveling much but from what they are I don’t really see much issue except for the weaker limb.

[RyanY]

The limb on the left is bending more than the right but otherwise there’s not much bend to tell what’s needed. Have you floor tillered it? It looks quite thin. What is it pulling now?

[WhistlingBadger]

So, time to brace it and start working with the gizmo?  It is thin, but the limbs are up to 2" wide.  I haven't measured draw weight yet.

When should I heat treat the belly?

[RyanY]

Likely not bending enough for the gizmo yet but I don’t use one. Just because they’re 2” wide doesn’t mean they’ll be any thinner than a similar length bow of any given draw weight. It doesn’t look like it’s bending enough to brace but it could be 10# draw for the picture. Need more info.

[bjrogg]

I think the outers on the left limb are starting to bend. Right just barely. I would keep moving in. As you get the mid and inner working the outer will probably get stiff again so you might have to revisit them.

Do you know what weight you are drawing it to?
Bjrogg

[WhistlingBadger]

OK, took a bit more off the right and pulled it further.  It's pulling 45# in this picture.  It's on a long string; I haven't braced it yet.  I'm hoping for 50# @ 27", but since this is my first one I'll be happy if I just get a good, shootable bow with a good tiller.   

tiller2 by Whistling Badger, on Flickr

[WhistlingBadger]

I think the outers on the left limb are starting to bend. Right just barely.
Bjrogg

Early on, I actually had a pretty bad hinge in the outer-mid left limb I had to really work out.  I think that's why the left is bending more.

[RyanY]

Looks like it’s ready to brace!

[bownarra]

After seeing that first picture I was going to say you have a hinge forming on the left mid/outer limb.
Yes go for a low brace height now, like 2 inches off the  belly.
Once you have done this post a photo.
A longstring should still touch the belly of the bow once in the nocks, you should have to bend the bow a little to get it on/off. Too long a string will make the true bend of the outer (once braced) look  stiff. That is because the braced bow is being pulled inwards as well as down when actually bracd and drawn.
Also what wood is this? 2" wide for a 40# bow is likely too wide. When the stave is too wide the trhickness will be an issue. Mainly because as a bow gets thinner and thinner the shavings you take off become a greater percentage of totally limb thickness....so it is very easy to make a hinge. As long as this is decent wood I would reduce down to 1 3/4", brace it pull to draw weight. Monitor set, you could even go narrower but this depends on the wood type/denstiy.

[WhistlingBadger]

After seeing that first picture I was going to say you have a hinge forming on the left mid/outer limb.
Yes go for a low brace height now, like 2 inches off the  belly.
Once you have done this post a photo.
A longstring should still touch the belly of the bow once in the nocks, you should have to bend the bow a little to get it on/off. Too long a string will make the true bend of the outer (once braced) look  stiff. That is because the braced bow is being pulled inwards as well as down when actually bracd and drawn.
Also what wood is this? 2" wide for a 40# bow is likely too wide. When the stave is too wide the trhickness will be an issue. Mainly because as a bow gets thinner and thinner the shavings you take off become a greater percentage of totally limb thickness....so it is very easy to make a hinge. As long as this is decent wood I would reduce down to 1 3/4", brace it pull to draw weight. Monitor set, you could even go narrower but this depends on the wood type/denstiy.

That hinge is actually much better than it was.  It formed right at the start, and I've been working either side of it.

It's hickory.  There are a couple of pin knots near the edges, so I'm a little reluctant to narrow it much, but I'll see what I can do.  I'll try to get it strung today or tomorrow and post a picture.

[bjrogg]

Some good advice here WB. I’m just looking on my phone and it’s a little hard to see, but I think I’d stay away from the right fade now. I might be wrong but on my phone it looks like it’s really moving directly out of the fade.
Bjrogg

[Pat B]

With the bow being pulled that far with a long string I'd say it's time for low brace.

[bradsmith2010]

looking good,, I see it shooting now,,

[WhistlingBadger]

Alright.  Strung it up to low brace.  Gizmo was coloring the inner-mids, so I guess I'll narrow there a little bit.
tiller3 by Whistling Badger, on Flickr